Just as the European Renaissance is often highlighted in history as the first proliferation of intellectual thought and culture, so too is the precedence of European instruments over non-Western ones. This Eurocentric perspective creates a distorted view about the actual history of the non-Western world. The Arab World in particular laid the foundations of modern day medicine, astronomy, history, and culture of which the Europeans learned, extending as well to musical traditions and instruments. The oud, which was first used in the Sassanid era of Iran from CE 224 to 651, was what inspired the guitar that was later played across Europe. The oud with its distinct pear shaped body and short neck means “wood” in Arabic, referring to the material that the instrument is made out of, influencing the tonal quality. The construction of the oud without frets allows for a unique sound and expression, where the player can glide between notes and produce quarter tones, sounds unique to Arabic music.
Why Learn the Oud?
Oud is a distinct and unique instrument to learn because of its soulful and expressive nature, along with its global cultural significance. The oud plays a vital role in various cultural traditions across the Arab world and has become a symbol of Arab cultural identity. It has also captivated audiences globally where many oud instrumentalists have helped to popularize the instrument on the international stage. Quartertonez Music is one of the only music schools in the DMV area that teaches oud along with other non-Western instruments. Register for a trial lesson at www.quartertonez.com to learn more.
History of the Oud
The oud has its origins in Mesopotamia and Egypt, evolving over time into the Islamic Golden Age, where there was a renaissance of ideas across the Arab world in science, mathematics, medicine, history, and culture. Due to these exchanges of ideas across the Islamic Empire that were quickly expanding, the oud had a great influence on many European instruments including the lute. There are many well known oud instrumentalists including George Mgrdichian,Yurdal Tokcan, Farid El Atrache, Ara Dinkjian, and Naseer Shamma, who have popularized the instrument and allowed it to be adoringly consumed by global audiences.
Materials and Construction
Ouds are traditionally made from different varieties of wood like walnut, spruce, and ebony. It has a bowl shaped back and fretless neck with between 11 and 13 strings. The construction of the oud is quite delicate and takes a great deal of time due to the fact that if certain steps of the process are missing it can greatly impact the sound production and its distinct tone. The soundboard is truly the most important part of the instrument that determines the quality of the sound through the transmission of vibrations from the strings to other parts of the oud’s body. If the oud is not constructed with the precision that allows for this soundboard to create a resonance chamber then again the instrument will not have this unique tonal quality.
Learning the Oud at Quartertonez

At Quartertonez Music, we offer personalized Oud lessons that are tailored to all skill levels with experienced instructors, who are professional musicians themselves with a particular expertise in oud. These oud lessons are conveniently located near you in the DMV area, one of the only music schools in DC offering oud. To sign up for oud lessons at Quartertonez Music visit us at www.quartertonez.com, and read more about our philosophy and instructors. You can then click Register Now to request a trial lesson and to speak with our leadership team about any additional questions you may have.
Experience the Rich Tradition of the Oud at Quartertonez
Embark on your musical journey through the exploration of the oud’s rich musical tradition by joining the Quartertonez Music community. Our Arabic Music Institute is one known across the DMV for its expertise in Arabic instruments and their history. To schedule your first lesson visit www.quartertonez.com and click Register Now.